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Baking, cheesecake, chocolate, dessert, lime, nigella lawson, sweet
The problem with getting behind in blogging is you start to forget why you made something in the first place.
OK, that might not be a problem others have. This may be particular to me.
I think I came up with the idea of making a Chocolate Lime Cheesecake while flipping through cookbooks one night and remembering this had been on my to-do list for eons. I'm almost sure I had pulled Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites from my (overstuffed) shelf looking for one of her salad recipes when I re-stumbled across this one. And it occurred to me, since it was a long weekend and I was going to be working on the stat holiday, that I should bake this up and bring it in to the rest of the Calgary Herald crew working on the holiday Monday just like I used to when I was over in the city section. (Back then, I worked Sundays every week and I often baked and brought in goodies for what became known as Civilized Sundays, which would see us sitting around at 10 a.m. eating cake and listening to the police scanner. And reading our horoscopes.)
Then, and I do remember this correctly, I told the people who I knew would be also working that I was going to bake a cheesecake, which actually made me do it.
And, man, am I glad I did.
Nigella, my friends, she knows her stuff.
You know I love lime. It's no surprise I also like chocolate. These two together are a very nice, very unexpected treat.
It may seem a bit fussy, but I followed all the instructions, including baking it in a water bath, which is a relatively common suggestion for baking cheesecake (a gentler way that theoretically keeps the top from cracking but always seemed like an unnecessary additional step). And I think it is indeed worth it. And the trick of snapping the aluminum foil into the springform pan (which sounds more confusing than it actually is) really does protect the crust and cake from any water.
However, I must also add that I bought extra-wide aluminum foil thanks to the suggestion of my friend, Colette, who knew such a thing existed. Thanks Col! That way there was no panic about making sure the various pieces were secure enough. I would recommend this as a great way of alleviating any concern over seepage.
Seepage. What an odd thing to be mentioning on a food blog.
And, goodness, this is a very scattered post, isn't it?
To summarize: this cheesecake is tasty. I enjoyed it. So did my friends. Make it. Don't wait as long as I did to do so.
Chocolate Lime Cheesecake
Straight from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites.
- 7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 pound cream cheese (recommended: Philadelphia)
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 limes, juiced or 3/4 cup
Special equipment: springform pan
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place a large overlapping piece of aluminum foil over the bottom of the springform pan, and then insert pan ring over it. Fold the foil extra foil up and around the pan and place the whole thing on a second piece of foil, also folding it and pressing it securely around the pan, having a water tight covering.
In a food processor, process cookies until they are crumb-like, add melted butter and continue to process. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press with your fingers to line the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator to set while you prepare the cheesecake.
Place a kettle of water on for water bath. In a food processor beat the cream cheese until smooth, add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and lime juice.
Take crumbed pan from the refrigerator and place it in a roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crumb pan, and then carefully pour the hot kettle of water into the roasting pan so the water reaches 1/2 way up the pan so the water does not splash into cheese cake.
Place roasting pan in oven for 1 hour, checking after 50 minutes. It should feel set, but still wobbly in the center. Take the roasting pan out of the oven, carefully remove the springform pan from the roasting pan and place it on a rack. Peel off the outer layer of foil, and tear away the side bits of the first layer of foil and leave the pan to cool. Once the cake comes to room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Transfer to the plate you're going to serve it on, a plate without a lip, or a cake stand. Unclip the springform pan and remove the outer part. Carefully lift the cheesecake removing the metal bottom. The aluminum foil can stay on the cake. Serve chilled.


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Melbourne is located in Australia's smallest continental state, Victoria. Originally a part of the state of New South Wales, Melbourne was made a separate colony in 1851. A year later, gold was discovered and the subsequent gold rushes along with the development of rural industries propelled the city's growth.
This growth also helps explain Melbourne's reputation as a "melting pot", with people of all nationalities coming here in search of a better life.
Today, Melbourne's prosperity continues and the quality of life for its residents is among the best in the world. Testament to Victoria's "Garden State" nickname, Melbourne has some great parks and gardens including those at the Government House and at Captain Cook's cottage as well as the world-famous Melbourne Zoo.


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General Information
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Find face mask and safety guidelines along with general visitor and business information to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic in Greater Phoenix.
Imagine a world in which an exclusive private jet, selected specifically for your unique travel needs, holds its departure until after your tee time. You arrive at your destination feeling relaxed, pampered and productive. A personal chauffeur, luxury sedan and security detail await, ready to usher you to your high-profile business engagement, exclusive entertainment venue or favorite family getaway. Courteous, competent and discerning staff is just a phone call away to assist you with any additional travel needs. In this world, there are no crowded overhead bins, no missed connections, no car rental lines and no obstructed theatre views. There is only extraordinary care, reliability and refined comfort. Welcome to the world of Vitesse.


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Shark attacks treasure hunter
A LENNOX Head woman has been attacked by a 3m shark while working for professional treasure hunters in Tonga.
Kylie Maguire has worked on Ice for four months, a boat owned by wreck-hunting company Tonga Blue. This year the company has been working with the Tongan Government to uncover the area's "hidden maritime past".
The 29-year-old is an experienced diver, surfer, photographer and conservationist.
Kylie's father, Mike Maguire, yesterday told The Northern Star he was told on Monday afternoon his daughter had been attacked by a shark while swimming with another woman, Kim Hands.
"Kylie told me that she didn't see the shark, but it hit hard on her thighs and buttocks," he said.
"She was fighting it ... she doesn't really remember what happened next but then she was back in the kayak."
Doctors who treated Kylie in Tonga estimated the length of the shark to be 3m, with teeth about 25mm across and a 40-45cm bite circumference,
It was possibly a bull shark.
Mr Maguire and his wife, Denise, were originally told that Kylie would recover well in the Tongan hospital.
But yesterday they were told her wounds were infected and skin grafts might be required.
Emergency arrangements were being made last night to transfer her to a Sydney hospital.
"There's a large part of the flesh wound that's just not healing and the captain of the boat told us that if it was his daughter he'd be getting her back to Australia," Mr Maguire said.
"So we're trying to get her on the first flight we can.
"We've been talking to Kylie and she seems pretty down. I think she has realised that this big adventure is all coming to an end.
"She's a tough bugger.
"I don't know how many lives this girl has got. Once she had to be airlifted by the Italian navy during gale-force winds and she's also been caught out on boats during cyclones.
"Kylie's actually pretty lucky - not many people survive a shark attack."
Ice's captain Don McIntyre posted on his blog, bluetreasure .me, that Kylie and Kim had set off in an inflatable kayak from the boat anchored at Treasure Island Resort in Vava'u about 4pm on the day of the shark attack.
Shortly afterwards the captain went ashore for a meeting and turned off his radio.
But after hearing faint cries for help, he turned it back on and heard Kylie calmly saying she had been bitten by a shark.
She was still conscious and talking, but not moving her legs.
"I did not know what to expect, but felt it must be a non-life threatening injury, possibly small, because of Kylie's responses," he blogged.
"But at my first sight of the wound it appeared quite the reverse.
"There was major trauma to the area around her buttocks and inner thighs."
Despite her ordeal, both the ship's captain and Kylie's father stressed that Kylie loves sharks.


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Suffolk Theater reopens in Riverhead
The last time the Suffolk Theater in downtown Riverhead was open for business, "Dirty Dancing" played on its Art Deco-framed single screen. When it reopens Saturday night — after tomorrow's ribbon-cutting — the music emanating from the newly refurbished stage will reach back way before 1987, when "Dirty Dancing" was released. In fact, the music of Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, the opening night headliners, predates even the original debut of the Suffolk Theater in 1933 — the year Prohibition ended. "Footlight Parade," a Busby Berkeley musical starring James Cagney, played that night.
Giordano, a Smithtown native, and his Nighthawks won a Grammy for their soundtrack to the hit HBO series "Boardwalk Empire," set in Prohibition-era Atlantic City.
Bob Spiotto, executive director of the Suffolk Theater — resplendent in his gangster-style pinstriped suit when we interviewed him last week — is turning the grand reopening into a "Prohibition's over" party. Legal booze (assuming you're 21 or older) will flow in the theater's bars, upstairs and down. Costumed flappers and "gangsters" stepping out of period cars will add a '30s touch to the red-carpet arrival beneath the bright-lights marquee.
Inside, terraced nightclub seating — two to four patrons at each cocktail-style table — is not your average performing arts center configuration. And that's what Spiotto and the owners-developers of the new Suffolk Theater are counting on.
Bob and Dianne Castaldi of Cutchogue are partners in marriage and on this project. Having moved to the East End in 1985, they have no connection with the theater's former life. And on first inspection when they bought the property eight years ago, Bob Castaldi's first reaction was: "Holy mackerel."
That was meant as a comment both on the building's deteriorated condition and its spectacular possibilities.
"We've tried to replicate the glory that was in this place," says Dianne Castaldi. "That's our vision." From the lighting fixtures to the carpeting, the Suffolk Theater has undergone an old-is-new-again rebirth.
But neither the Castaldis nor Spiotto see the new Suffolk as a typical Long Island arts venue. "We've seen theaters struggle," says Bob Castaldi, a builder with a background in historic restoration. "We intend to succeed."
To that end, "flexibility" has been a key word in the restoration. "We can go from movies to dances, fashion shows to art exhibits, concerts to weddings," says Bob Castaldi, leading a tour of the fully equipped basement kitchen.
Seating can be cleared out altogether, Castaldi says of possible reconfigurations. Or the nightclub tables can be replaced by interlocking rows of theater-style seats, raising the capacity to about 600. (Nightclub seating maxes out at about 400.)
Spiotto has booked events almost every day in the theater's first month. Among the more unusual themed events is a screening next Thursday of the 1939 film classic "The Wizard of Oz," followed that night by a Wizard of OZZ concert by the Ozzy Osbourne tribute band — both timed before the release of Disney's "Oz: The Great and Powerful" March 8.
"Our idea is that there's always something to celebrate," says Spiotto, former director of Hofstra Entertainment and a frequent performer in the university's community arts-outreach program axed last year.
Among this month's celebrations are birthday tributes to Danny Kaye (his centennial, starring Spiotto), plus Rex Harrison, Lawrence Welk (did we mention the spacious dance floor?), Nat King Cole, Bach and Toscanini. Another "holiday" on the theater's calendar is its "halfway to New Year's" party June 29 — bringing the late Guy Lombardo's Royal Canadians big band back to Long Island for the first time in three decades.
"The sheer variety is, itself, a celebration of the arts in their varied glories," Spiotto says.
"We want to be a destination," he adds, "whether you're coming from the Hamptons or Hempstead."
INFO suffolktheater.com, 631-727-4343


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Telecom Industries
The Telecom industry consists of the Belgian telecom operators of both the landline and mobile networks. Telecom is a key industry for digital transformation and value creation for the economy and society. The wave of new promising technologies will only increase the significance of the telecom industry.
Your contact Danny Goderis
Upcoming events
Event 25/09/2020 Webinar: Export support and starter package for internationalization International trade has been hit hard in recent months as a result of the corona crisis. On 5 June 2020, the Flemish government decided, within the framework of the FIT Corona Exit plan, to allocate 3 million euros to FIT for additional support measures for Flemish exporters, in the form of Special Export Support and Starter Packages Internationalisation. This webinar will give you more information about these support packages. Register quickly!
Event 29/09/2020 Healthtech sharing experience session: public procurement and tenders How do you handle public procurement within a hospital environment? This question will be central in our upcoming Healthtech Sharing Experience Session. With presentations from our own specialists and experts from the field, this will be both an interactive and informative session.
01/10 Will 2020 be the year to boost the digitization of your business? Today, digitization is the first requirement to grow into an agile company and to develop new business opportunities. Ever more industrial companies too are discovering the benefits of digital transformation. But how does one translate that largely untapped potential to his/her own company? And who can help you with that challenge? Agoria's Digital Connect Week brings together all companies that either want to use digital technology more effectively or that else have a digital offering. Register now and make sure to claim your spot!
ICT company Cegeka acquires telecom operator Gridmax ICT company Cegeka acquires Wallonia-based telecom operator Gridmax. As a provider of managed services, Gridmax has rolled out an innovative solution for mission critical connectivity services with Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) resources. With this takeover, Cegeka takes another important step in the Industrial-Internet of Things (I-IoT), market, while gaining access to the future 5G frequency band.
Networked Industrial Communication: guaranteed process efficiency These days, it is hard to imagine operating without reliable data flows and seamless communication. The same applies to production processes. Networked industrial communication enables all of a company's business segments to be integrated, making it a central component of data availability and the Internet of Things.
Core activities
- The Telecom industry focuses on the protection of the interests of the telecom industry through (political) lobbying, taking care of the industry image and the social importance and impact on the regulatory framework.
- Three main work domains are distinguished: 'investments and infrastructure' (e.g. rolling out 5G), 'telecom and the consumer' (e.g. telecom and privacy) and 'digital economy and society' (e.g. the study The collaboration with the telecom regulator (BIPT), the FPS Economy, the cabinet of the Telecom minister (De Croo) and various other organisations is intensive on all these domains.
- The collaboration with Digital Industries within Agoria is growing. Agoria's ambition is to become the driving force of digital change in industry and society at large, based on an industrial vision and approach.


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TORONTO – Don Cherry's status as an icon of Canadian TV hockey may prove to be his downfall as the groundbreaking deal between Rogers Communications and CBC ushers in a new era of "Hockey Night in Canada," marketing experts said.
The 12-year, $5.2-billion agreement announced this week gives Rogers national rights to all NHL games and will see the beloved broadcast shift to the telecommunication giant's multiple platforms, including City and Sportsnet.
Such a radical transformation — from must-see "appointment" viewing to "hockey a la carte" — could call for a shake-up when it comes to on-air talent, including the man many consider the face of "Hockey Night in Canada," said David Kincaid, managing partner and CEO of the Toronto-based Level 5 Strategy Group.
No company invests billions of dollars in a brand only to leave it as it is, said Kincaid, who helped Labatt Breweries wrest sponsorship rights to the NHL from Molson-Coors in the 1990s.
"If they want to say it's the fresh new face of hockey, available across all these different mediums and all this different type of integrated content, if a certain personality is seen as an on-air television commentator, it's off strategy," he said.
"If the equity of their brand is only television, and you're creating content to go across multiple platforms, I kind of want a new spokesperson that travels across all the platforms or a whole range of spokespeople."
Cherry's place in Canada's new TV hockey landscape remains unclear but Rogers denies it is distancing itself from the notoriously outspoken sportscaster.
"I'm a big fan of Don Cherry; I've worked with him and have a great respect for him," Scott Moore, broadcast president for Rogers Media, said in an email.
"I've already spoken to him, in fact. I look forward to sitting down with him to discuss if he wants to be part of the new arrangement."
While it's too early to nail down who will headline the flagship Saturday night show, Moore said CBC and Sportsnet have "some of the best talent in the business" and he looks forward to bringing the two teams together.
Cherry has so far held off weighing in on the deal or his possible involvement, saying he's been left out of any behind-the-scenes discussions and doesn't know "what's going on."
He is expected to address the matter in his Coach's Corner segment Saturday.
In an interview with CBC on Thursday, however, the high-profile hockey commentator brushed off rumours predicting his retirement.
"They've been saying that for 30 years," he said. "I know I'm No. 1 and Coach's Corner is No. 1 and what are you going to do?"
That Cherry was kept in the dark regarding the show he's largely defined for a generation of Canadians suggests his time in the spotlight may be running out, said Edgar Baum, general manager of Brand Finance.
"The abruptness of how this happened was a surprise. It appears to me on the surface… that they don't wish to continue with Don," he said.
"Maybe something's going to get negotiated or… maybe they would like to discontinue that era and find somebody new," he said.
"It's up to Rogers to figure out how they want to create that identity, but I definitely think an icon of Canadian hockey broadcasting may be seeing his last season."
Whether the company can oust a fan favourite without alienating viewers hinges on how it orchestrates the transition — and who it puts forth in his place, Baum said.
"I would definitely be looking for a larger-than-life personality to be able to replace Don if that's what Rogers chooses to do," he said.
"Because I'll be frank, if there's just some guy who speaks in a monotone about how the first period went… I probably wouldn't be tuning in as much."
Having Cherry endorse and mould his successor would also help viewers adjust to the change, Baum said.
When push comes to shove, however, the "Hockey Night in Canada" brand trumps Cherry's personal cachet, Kincaid argued.
"Would Canadians be sad to see the icon disappear? I can pretty well bet your bottom dollar to that," he said.
"Would they have long-lasting rejection of the 'Hockey Night in Canada' brand if he wasn't there five years later? I don't think so."
Both marketers agreed Rogers should be planning for a post-Cherry program in any case, noting the 80-year-old sportscaster will likely retire in the next few years.
Cherry joined "Hockey Night in Canada" full-time in 1981 and CBC started the "Coach's Corner" segment shortly after his arrival.
A sub-licensing agreement with CBC allows the public broadcaster to continue airing "Hockey Night in Canada" on Saturday nights for four years, while TVA in Quebec earned all of the Canadian French-language multi-media rights.


text: DescriptionWhen you're out on the trail or out for the day, you never know when your devices might need a quick boost. That's what makes this solar charger from Choetech so useful. Lightweight, portable, and engineered with weather-resistant, durable materials, this charger converts energy from the sun with high efficiency to power up any of your USB-compatible devices. It's ideal for hiking, camping, or just ensuring you have a charge on a long commute. CHOETECH is one of the top providers of chargers and consumer electronics, offering strict quality control and supreme quality since 2013.


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The Mayans may have invented chocolate long ago, but Belgium is today its world headquarters, and nowhere more so than Brussels, whose temples to the art of the brown stuff are second to none. It's not just a tourist thing, although within the vicinity of the Grande-Place you could be forgiven for thinking so. Chocolate is massively popular in Belgium, and even the smallest town has at least a couple of chocolate shops; in fact, the country has two thousand all told, and produces 172,000 tonnes of chocolate every year. You may think that this would make for a nation of obese lardcakes, especially as Belgium's other favourite thing is beer (not even mentioning the country's obsession with pommes frites). However, whatever your doctor may tell you, chocolate in moderation is quite healthy. It reduces cholesterol and is easily digested; some claim it's an aphrodisiac as well.
So what are you waiting for? Everyone has their favourite chocolatier – some swear by Neuhaus, while others rely on good old Leonidas, which has a shop on every corner in Brussels – but Godiva is perhaps the best-known Belgian name, formed in the early 1900s by Joseph Draps, one of whose descendants now runs a chocolate museum on the Grande-Place. Once you've checked that out (and gobbled down a few free samples), make for the elegant Place du Grand Sablon, with not only a Godiva outlet, but also the stylish shop of Pierre Marcolini, who produces some of the best chocs in the city, if not the world. Wittamer, also on Place du Grand Sablon, doesn't just do chocolates, and in fact you can sip coffee and munch on a chocolate-covered choux pastry at its rather nice café; you're probably best off saving that big box of Wittamer's delicious pralines for later… though trying just a few now surely can't hurt. If you're not feeling queasy by this point, stop at Planète Chocolate, on rue du Lombard, where you can find the city's most exotic and adventurous flavours – pepper, rose, various kinds of tea – as well as watch the chocolate-making process in action, followed by (what else?) the obligatory tasting. Moderation be damned.
Godiva, Place du Grand Sablon 47– 48; Pierre Marcolini, rue des Minimes 1; Wittamer, Place du Grand Sablon 12; Planète Chocolate, rue du Lombard 24.
Top image: Selection of chocolate in a row, shop in Belgium © WA Stock Video/Shutterstock
For hundreds more ultimate travel experiences, get Rough Guides' Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth


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MOVIE REVIEW- Identity crisis: <i>One and Only</i> can't decide
My One and Only is the story of two teenage boys who know what they want to be when they grow up and their mother, who doesn't. The movie doesn't know what it wants to be either– a drama or a comedy. As a result, much of the comic relief comes from making fun of things the dramatic portion is taking seriously.
It's not unusual for a coming-of-age tale to focus more on the mother than the child, as this one does. Many a diva has gotten some of her greatest roles that way, after passing a certain age.
Renée Zellweger might charitably be described as a diva-in-training. When she's as bad as she is here, it's easy to forget how good she was in Chicago, Nurse Betty and, arguably, Cold Mountain, plus a few others. Watching her play a 1950s housewife makes you appreciate how good Julianne Moore was in Far from Heaven.
In 1953, Ann Devereaux (Zellweger) gets out of the house quickly after finding her bandleader husband Dan (Kevin Bacon) there with another woman. She pulls their sons out of school, sends 15-year-old George (Logan Lerman) to buy a car, and hits the road, which leads from New York to Boston, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and eventually Los Angeles.
George's older half-brother, Robbie (Mark Rendall), is gay. This is hammered home in the first 15 minutes by having him cast as Lady Macbeth in the school play, referring to his sensitivity, and having him do needlepoint and try on mom's jewelry.
Ann is determined to take care of herself and her sons, but the only way she knows to do that is to have a man take care of her. The first stops on their trip are places where she has old beaus who might be available again. This allows for brief appearances by Chris Noth, Eric McCormack and Steven Weber before Ann almost finds wedded bliss with David Koechner.
If you know My One and Only is based on incidents in the early life of George Hamilton, it makes one line funny. Having arrived in Los Angeles Ann encourages the boys to go to the beach. "Get some color, George," she tells the son who will one day be more famous for his tan than his talent.
Dan describes his wife as having "delusions of grandeur," which may explain why Zellweger sometimes acts like she's playing Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. She tries to maintain their standard of living but is beaten down by circumstance as their living situations become humbler and humbler. She's even reduced to getting a job!
So much happens, it's a shock to learn at one point that only four months have passed. By this time, George has become settled in St. Louis, has made friends (although we don't see them), and has been encouraged by a teacher to pursue his talent for writing (the first hint we've had that he wants to be a writer).
Hamilton was actually 13 in 1953, but perhaps that was the only year they could get a Cadillac convertible from. (The actual trip was made in a Lincoln.) It doesn't matter. The movie is overflowing with anachronisms, especially in an opening montage that spans the decade of the '50s, including a reference to Connie Francis (perhaps intended as homage to Hamilton's future Where the Boys Are co-star) singing "God Bless America," which she wouldn't record until 1959.
Filter-tip cigarettes, TV dinners and the cult status of The Catcher in the Rye, if not technically premature, were not commonplace in 1953. Hugh O'Brian's Wyatt Earp didn't air until 1955 and no one said "Put the pedal to the metal" until the 1970s.
The two funniest lines in the movie, like the one about George getting a tan, come from knowing now what they didn't know then. A military type rants about how, "If the Commies take over, every town will have the same stores"; and a salesman boasts of representing "the product of the future: asbestos." (Actually chain stores and asbestos were pretty common by then, so these lines are also anachronistic– but at least they're funny.)
Nitpicking aside, the period look is the best thing the film has going for it; but it's frequently underlit. This may be to hide some flaws in the sets and costumes but results in the star being hard to see.
Lerman, who showed promise in the Jack & Bobby TV series a few years ago, is disappointing here. He delivers his lines well but gives no hint of any truth behind them. Ironically, this makes him perfect to represent the future George Hamilton!
When a bad performance is one of the only things to praise about a movie, it's not worth your time.


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By Jarad Van Wagoner, Director of Development, NAHETS
Safety. Efficiency. Risk Management. These are key terms and concepts throughout the construction, energy, and mining industries. Each stakeholder in the process—operators, supervisors, employers, general contractors, insurers, clients, and end users—depends on the skills and knowledge of the operators. Accidents, inefficiency, and sub-standard work increase costs and reduce quality. Responsible parties are obligated to ensure that their operators are skilled, knowledgeable, and safe through the use of effective assessment, certification, and training programs.
Companies have two basic options in terms of formal assessment and training programs. First, they can run a program internally. Using in-house tests and training plans they can work directly with their own operators to make sure they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Second, they can opt to have an external, third-party manage some or the entire assessment and training program.
An internal program, on the surface, seems to have several obvious advantages.
- Cost Savings. The assumption is that a company will keep costs down by managing their own training program. Using in-house trainers and supervisors, a company should be able to save money as opposed to bringing in outsiders.
- Familiarity with Operator Skills and Training Needs. A company often feels that they are very aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their operators due to their daily proximity.
- Control of Training. Companies like to be able to set their own training schedules and control the topics that will be covered. Supervisors and managers are familiar with construction and job schedules and know when training can be scheduled.
- Unique Operations. Many companies believe that their operations are unique compared to other parts of industry. An internal training program allows them to make sure their needs are met and avoid wasting time on irrelevant topics and information.
Many of the advantages listed above have the potential to be disadvantages as well. Consider the following:
- Higher Costs. Often companies lose time and money as operators and supervisors are assigned training duties as additional responsibilities. The time required to run these programs often isn't taken into consideration when planning personnel and job schedules resulting in loss production time. Records maintenance also takes up additional time and money. Time is wasted, as employees with no experience and limited familiarity with regulatory requirements are required to establish, run, and maintain training programs. These hidden costs in time and money often aren't considered in the budgeting and planning process.
- Lack of Clarity. Companies focus the bulk of their time and effort on completing jobs and generating revenue. In pursuit of these purposes it is easy to lose focus on assessment and training needs. Up against deadlines and going from job-to-job, supervisors, training directors, and safety directors are forced to fight for time to assess the skills and knowledge of their operators much less provide meaningful training. The focus on job completion reduces the ability of supervisors and others to focus on specific training needs of individual operators.
- Accidents and Inspections = Loss of Control. Too often training is ineffective as training presentations are too general or not enough time is allowed. Accidents and mistakes may be the unfortunate result of insufficient or ineffective training. Once an accident occurs, or an inspection reveals a discrepancy, control is lost as the company records are reviewed and mandatory meetings and trainings are scheduled.
- Industry Standards. Internal training programs often rely on internal definitions, concepts, and standards. Internal standards are difficult to explain to outside stakeholders, making it difficult to provide a transparent understanding of what an operator does or does not know. Without the transparency of industry standards, insurers and inspectors are less likely to have confidence in internal training programs.
A training program managed by a third-party, while it may have higher up front costs, has several advantages.
- Lower Costs. Third-party training programs tend be lower cost over the long run. Costs are upfront and are easier to budget accurately. Hidden costs are removed. Supervisors, training directors, and safety directors save time and are able to focus on their primary roles and important decisions rather than having to spend extra time planning and executing training programs.
- Expertise. Experts staff a third-party training organization. These experts understand how to assess operators, how to develop and implement training programs, and the associated legal and regulatory issues. They work directly with supervisors, employers, and other stakeholders to make sure that needs are met and that the training program works within the framework of the company's standard operations. Using their expertise, these training experts can develop and execute targeted training programs that meet the most pressing needs for operators.
- Increased Clarity. A well structured assessment and training program is based on common language and industry standards. Third-party providers use a curriculum that is generally accepted across the industry. While this may be challenging initially for operators and supervisors whose training was more localized or internal, it provides transparency to all stakeholders in terms of what operators should know and be able to do. Such programs remove the guesswork or the "I hope they know" factor from training and operations.
- Decreased Risk. A robust and well-managed training program will reduce the risk and likelihood of accidents through the use of accurate assessments of training needs and opportunities that are focused and effective in addressing those needs. Operators are more likely to pay attention to and participate in training programs when they know that one of their deficiencies, or the deficiency of a co-worker, is being addressed. Training performed by a trained trainer, whether a company employee who is properly trained or by a third-party trainer, is likely to be more effective at presenting the material and interacting with the operators. Effective training programs based on industry standards for safety and efficiency, are going to provide operators with correct and useful knowledge and skills as they operate dangerous equipment and perform dangerous tasks. All of this combines to reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries on the job.
- Decreased Liability. When an accident or injury occurs on the job stakeholders must deal with liability issues related to the accident. Did they provide adequate training? Were they aware of the operator's limitations? Did they properly document training and performance? At this point supervisors, employers, attorneys, and other stakeholders become very interested in the effectiveness of the company's training program. Whereas before the training program might have been a secondary concern, everyone is now checking to make sure that all "i"s are dotted and "t"s are crossed. A failure on the part of the company to manage an effective training program properly may cost the company in attorney fees and increased insurance costs, not to mention additional time and money spent on fixing any shortcomings in the training program. Third-party training organizations will work with a company to make sure that everything is run correctly and that all records are maintained. Accurate records of assessments and training will show that the company did its due diligence. Attorneys and insurance providers will be able to work directly with the training company to obtain necessary details. A properly run program will reduce risk and shift liability as employers provide the required and expected training.
As you consider the current status of your training program, take the time to determine the best course of management for your organization. The up-front costs of a third-party provider may provide sufficient benefits to warrant a change.


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Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji (Gujarati:કૃષ્ણા પંડિત ભાનજી); 31 December 1943) is an English actor. He has won Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Kingsley was born Krishna Pandit Bhanji in Snainton, near Scarborough, Yorkshire, England, the son of Anna Lyna Mary (née Goodman), an actress and model, and Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, a medical doctor.
Kingsley's father was born in Kenya of Gujarati Indian descent; Kingsley's paternal grandfather was a spice trader who had moved from India to Zanzibar, where Kingsley's father lived until moving to England at the age of 14. Ben Kingsley's mother, born out of wedlock, was "loath to speak of her background"; she was the daughter of an English East London garment worker mother and a father who was believed by the family to have been a Russian or German Jew.


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- Store
- >
- Skins for Slim-Size Stick With It Palette
- >
- Sea Life - For Slim Palette
Sea Life - For Slim Palette
per item
Our custom–cut vinyl skins provide a super easy and colorful way for you to personalize and protect your Stick With It®. Skins feature a high gloss, long lasting, UV protective coating that looks amazing and provides excellent scratch protection. Applying skins is as easy as peel, stick and enjoy! Getting bored with the same 'ol print? You can change it anytime! The skin can be removed with no residue, no mess and no fuss. Make sure you check out all 10 prints to select from!
Plus tax (if purchased in CA) and shipping
Plus tax (if purchased in CA) and shipping


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Temporary Alternative Option for IELTS/TOEFL
In addition, the Duolingo English Test* has been added as an alternate option for the IELTS/TOEFL exam. The minimum score requirement is an overall score of 120.
*The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour for only $49. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview and writing sample which are shared with Whitman when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session.
Any questions about the Duolingo English Test or application requirements, please email email@example.com.
Application Checklist
Please note: The Admissions Committee will not review your application until all of the following required materials have been received.
All supplemental application materials (transcripts, essays etc.) should be uploaded to the online application. No materials need to be mailed in.
Transcripts of academic credentials
One transcript from your degree bearing undergraduate university. If you have a graduate degree please submit that transcript as well.
Please upload unofficial transcript copies (in English) to your online application. These unofficial transcripts will be used by the admissions committee when reviewing your application.
Official academic records (transcripts/marksheets, degree/diploma certificates) will be required only after a student is admitted. Once admitted you will be required to submit official academic records. These records must be issued by the university in a sealed envelope with the university seal, stamp, or signature across the back flap.
The admissions committee upon discretion may request unofficial transcripts from additional postsecondary educational institution(s) as part of the evaluation of your application.
- Equivalency of U.S. Bachelor's Degree
Applicants who studied at colleges and universities outside the U.S. should have a degree or diploma that is the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree or higher. International credentials are assessed in terms of the educational pattern of the country, the type of institution attended, and the level of study completed before the expected date of enrollment at Whitman. In general, the degree should represent a minimum of four years of college-level study which follows at least 12 years of schooling at the elementary and secondary level.
You may also submit a WES credential evaluation report (www.wes.org) to verify that your degree is equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree or use the Education Perspectives (EP) service through the ApplyWeb online application.
The following are general guidelines for equivalents to a U.S. bachelor's degree:
Canada--A three-year bachelor's degree from Quebec or a four-year bachelor's degree from the other provinces.
Latin America--A university degree requiring four years of study.
United Kingdom and countries following the British pattern--A bachelor's degree with honors.
France and countries following the French pattern--A licence, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise a degree or diploma requiring four years of study after the baccalaureate, usually the Maitrise.
Germany--A Bakkalaureus degree, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise completion of the diploma.
Other European countries-- A university degree requiring a minimum of three years of study, if earned under the terms of the Bologna Declaration, otherwise a university degree requiring a minimum of four years of study.
Australia—A bachelor's degree: Ordinary or Pass
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal-- A bachelor's degree of engineering (BE), a bachelor's degree of technology (BT) or a master's degree in any other field.
- India: Based on WES's evaluation guidelines we will also accept the following degrees as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree:
- Three-year bachelor's degree earned in Division/Class I at a university accredited by the NAAC with a grade of "A".You will be required to provide documentation showing the accreditation was valid during the time of your program including graduation.
- "First Class" three year bachelor's degree from the University of Delhi.
Other Asian countries--A university degree requiring four years of study.
Two letters of recommendation
We suggest that both recommendations be professional references from those individuals who know you in an occupational setting, and that at least one of the recommendations is written by a current or previous supervisor. For those who do not have work experience academic recommendations are accepted.
Please prepare a business resume that includes your educational and professional information. Professional information should consist of employment history in reverse chronological order with titles, dates, relevant information and an indication of part-time or full-time status.
GMAT or GRE
Applicants are required to submit official GMAT or GRE scores. Please arrange for official reports to be sent directly to Syracuse University.
Test scores are valid for five years, and the admissions committee will consider your highest score if you have taken the test more than once.
It takes twenty days for official scores to arrive electronically so please make sure you schedule your exam well in advance of the application deadline date.
For more information about the GMAT test and how to register, visit http://www.mba.com/global
For more information about the GRE test and how to register, visit www.ets.org/gre
One Essay
The essay question can be found in the online application.
Video Component
Three questions to answer in a five-minute video.
Business Venture Proposal
Provide a one-page description of your business idea, focusing on the business concept.
Non-refundable US$75 application fee
All applicants must pay a non-refundable application fee of $75. Application fee waivers are not available.
The application fee can be paid by credit card on the online application site.
Additional Requirements for International Students (non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents)
TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)
Our program requires students to engage in group discussions, class participation, and oral presentations. In order to be successful in this program, students must possess a high proficiency in written and oral English.
Note: Applicants who are citizens of the following native language English-speaking countries are not required to submit test scores: Australia, Commonwealth Caribbean, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and English speaking provinces of Canada.
Note: Applicants who have studied at an institution in the U.S., or an English-speaking province in Canada for a minimum period of four years, may waive the English exam requirement. We count two 14 week semesters as one year [example: one fall (Aug-Dec) semester plus one spring (Jan-May) semester]. If you have worked/studied in the U.S. for less than four years, you will be required to submit official test scores.
Note: U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have not studied or worked in the U.S. for at least four years may be requested to submit an official English exam.
All applicants must request the testing center to send a current official score report to Syracuse University. Applicants may also upload a copy of their unofficial scores to their application to help the processing center match the official scores with the correct application.
Information regarding test dates, test centers, and fees may be obtained by visiting: www.toeflgoanywhere.org or www.ielts.org or www.pearsonpte.com/testme
Financial Support Documents
The United States Department of State requires that international students admitted to an academic program in the United States have a student visa to enter the country and remain here for the duration of the program. Most students will attend the program on an F-1 visa. To be issued an F-1 visa you must first obtain an I-20 document from Syracuse University. To receive an I-20 from Syracuse University, you are required to submit proof of sufficient funding.
You may show funding from a number of different sources as long as the total funding available meets the University's guidelines for minimum funding for one full academic year of study for a graduate student (see chart below). The funding provided to the University to issue your I-20 does not necessarily need to be the same funds that you will actually use for your program.
Funding Required *
Spouse or First Dependent
add $11,542
* Amounts are for the 2020-2021 year for a graduate student. Syracuse University reserves the right to change these requirements at any time.
Acceptable proof of funding for privately sponsored applicants is a certified current bank statement on official bank letterhead, signed by an authorized bank official, indicating that sufficient funds exist to meet at least first-year expenses in U.S. dollars. An explanation of the relationship of the account holder to the applicant (ex. self, spouse, parents, other relatives) should accompany the funding documents.
Acceptable proof of funding for government or company sponsored applicants is an original or certified copy of an award letter in English that includes the U.S. dollar amount of the award for the duration of the award, and a list of expenses covered by the award.
All sponsorship letters and bank statements must be written in English and cannot be dated any earlier than one year prior to the start of your program. Documents older than one year will need to be reissued. Documents are valid for one year from the date on the document. For example, a document dated 7/1/19 would only be valid through 7/1/20.
Once adequate funding is demonstrated, the Graduate Enrollment Processing Center will notify the Lillian and Emmanuel Slutzker Center for International Services to issue your I-20 document. Your proof of funding should be uploaded to your online application as an attachment.
Instructions for processing your I-20 and obtaining a visa will be included with your I-20 document.
(Due to increased student visa regulations and delays in processing, students should upload their financial documents with their application to ensure that a student visa eligibility document can be issued promptly after admission.)
Temporary Alternative Option for IELTS/TOEFL


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The day job is getting a bit intense right now so I only have time for a quick post. I'd like to address a comment made by NotAnAtheist on yesterday's post. (The bold text is an excerpt from my post, to which NotAnAtheist is responding.)
The earliest point at which it makes sense to draw a legal line would be viability—the point where the child is formed enough to survive on its own outside the womb. At that point, if the woman wishes to terminate her pregnancy, then she can do so without killing the child, and nobody's rights need be violated.
Well, that's only true if the fetus is a "nobody" up until viability then afterwards its now suddenly a person, a "somebody" with rights to be violated. It can't be both ways. If you say that before a certain point, you are certain that "nobody's" rights are being violated and afterwards you declare abortion to be wrong, then you are drawing a line at viability.
Just to expand on what my point is here, I'm saying that personhood is a quality that emerges gradually, and thus any line that we draw arbitrarily is going to fall between two states that have few if any obvious differences between them, even if we draw that line at some point during the process of conception. In other words, the artificial line we impose on reality is not going to delineate an actual transition from a "nobody" to a "somebody." It's a legal fiction we use to simplify the decision-making process.
What happens at viability, then? It's not an actual transition from "nobody" to "somebody," as I've just said. "Nobody" vs. "somebody" is not a sharply-defined pair of binary alternatives, but rather they are two ends of a spectrum. Viability, then, is not the beginning of personhood, but merely the point at which the biological development is complete enough that it makes sense to consider treating the pre-person as an independent entity. (I say "point," but viability, like personhood, is also something that emerges gradually, and varies on a case-by-case basis.)
The reason it makes sense to draw a line at viability is because (a) it's still early enough to come some time before we reach the state of true personhood and (b) it's late enough in the process that we can have practical alternatives to consider. Any line we draw at all is going to be wrong because there's no objective boundary for the line to correspond to. But if we draw a line at viability, we're as close as we can get to a fair balance between the interests of the woman and the potential interests of what will shortly become an autonomous individual human being.


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About Us
Summer 2012
Faculty-led Program
Poland has great historical prominence in European history and in global politics. Its people have made enormous contributions in the fields of art, history, philosophy and linguistics. The establishment and growing preeminence of the European Union as a major cultural, social, economic and political entity has resulted in an increased focus on this critical part of the world. Chicago is home to the largest population of Polish Americans in the United States, and the demand for university course offerings in Polish culture is very high.
Loyola's Polish studies minor is an interdisciplinary program that includes a comprehensive range of courses designed to provide students with an enriched and valuable learning experience. This minor appeals to the growing number of Loyola students who come from Polish and Eastern/Central European backgrounds, and those interested in studying this particular culture. The curriculum consists of courses in Polish language and literature, with additional course offerings in related history, political science, economics, sociology, philosophy, theology and international studies.
Students with a minor in Polish studies must complete a total of six courses (18 credit hours). Required courses include five electives and a capstone course, Polish Studies (POST) 395. No more than four courses may be taken in the same department. Students should focus their studies on areas that best complement their major: languages and literatures, history and political science, or philosophy and theology. Only three courses from the minor may be applied toward another major or minor.
A minimum of two courses (six credit hours) must be in the study of the Polish language. These courses may be at any level and can include: Polish (POLS) 101 - 102 (beginners), 103 - 104 (intermediate), or 250 - 251 (advanced). Students must be assessed by a Polish specialist in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures in order to guarantee placement in the appropriate course level.
Students must complete POST 395, Polish Studies Capstone, during their junior or senior year. The course complements the minor program with an integrated service-learning component. Students focus on a specific issue or theme in Polish studies and complete a research project that integrates the minor with their major field. Additionally, the course contains a service-learning project of the student's choosing that takes place in one of various institutions and organizations in Chicago's Polish American community, including the Polish Museum and Library, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland, Polish National Alliance, Chopin Theatre, Polish Film Festival, Paderewski Symphony Orchestra, Polish American Association, Community Health Clinics with Polish speaking population, Polish radio and television, and LIRA Ensemble.
11th Student Forum on East Central Europe
student forum


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Classic Army SCAR-L (Mk 16 Mod 0)
-CNC-finished upper receiver
-Overall sturdy construction
-Excellent finish and detailing
-Smooth operation
-Questionable battery size
An in-house designed replica from Classic Army, representing the higher end of AEGs. Numerous details and well thought design points with fully compatible internal parts based on the widely spread V2 gearbox make this an excellent choice for fans of the SCAR-L and skirmishers as well!
As recently as 2003, the US SOCOM (United States Special Operations Command) announced the search for a new assault rifle for the finest combatants on the face of the Earth. After rigorously testing a few existing models and newly developed candidates, the FN Herstal entry beat out the competition by meeting the criteria and naturally offering a good deal. The new weapon is called the "SCAR", which stands for Special forces Combat Assault Rifle. A lot of insight and feedback from actual operators was used in the design and development process, which has been unbelieveably rapid. The reliability requirements were set to three times the levels of current assault rifles, but the requirements included other important features such as accuracy (sub-MOA) and modularity as well. The weapons family includes two main variants, Light and Heavy, both in three different lengths.
The FN SCAR-L (Mk 16) is loosely based on their older FNC assault rifle. The first SCAR prototypes were in fact built on FNC lower receivers. The upper receiver has been redesigned externally to be modular, allowing the user to mount optics and various other accessories easily to the weapon, to tailor it to suit the specific needs of each mission. The bolt handle can be switched from one side to another depending on the user preference, and all controls are ambidextrous. Being a gas piston operated rifle, it is less prone to overheating and fouling than the AR-15 type weapons family, which direct the hot gases into the action via a gas tube.
The SCAR-L will replace the M4A1 Carbine, Mk 18 CQBR and Mk12 SPR models currently in special forces (SOCOM) service. With 90% of the parts in common between the three SCAR-L variants, it can be adapted to all of these roles with ease. The short and medium variants have barrels just shy of 10 and 14 inches (253 mm and 351 mm respectively), while the long variant reaches to 18" (457 mm). The standard and sniper variants of the SCAR-H will replace the M14-based rifles (such as the EBR) and the Mk 11 (SR-25), and creates new possibilities with the short CQB-model.
After starting with metal receiver kits for AEGs in 1997, Classic Army has steadily improved in quality and expanded their series to complete airsoft guns. It is a natural step for accessory manufacturers to take, but also a big leap going from individual parts to a whole working system. For this reason most of the complete guns by parts manufacturers are based on existing designs, usually those by Tokyo Marui. As a welcomed side-step, Classic Army started designing their own AEGs as well. While the SCAR is not the first replica featuring their own design elements, it has the least common parts with other models. Despite the unique looks, the internals are standard type, so the AEG holds a great upgrade potential as well! The standard features are as follows:
UPON LIFTING THE SCAR-L out of the box, you can't help noticing that the AEG is quite heavy. With a battery and magazine attached, it tips the scale quite accurately to the weight of the real SCAR-L loaded. The Classic Army model represents the medium size of the SCAR-L siblings, with an inner barrel length of 384 mm. It's only a matter of time when the short and long barrels are available, so you can use one platform regardless if you want to be the entry man or "distant surgeon"!
Judging from pictures found online (as we have not had the pleasure of actually handling a real SCAR), the color scheme of the Classic Army replica seems realistic. The lower receiver and stock are a bit lighter tan, whereas the upper receiver, pistol grip and magazine are darker. The finish is very good all over, and especially the upper receiver is sturdy with sharp details. This is no surprise: The upper receiver is made from an extrusion and CNC-finished, instead of the typical die casting approach. It has screw heads countersunk to various points to replicate the construction of the real SCAR. On this model most of them serve merely a cosmetic function, but do that job really well.
The plastic parts are the usual Classic Army quality. This means fibre-reinforced polymer: You won't find ABS plastic easily in these AEGs. There are faint seam lines where the halves meet, but it would be rather pedantic (and technically incorrect) of us to complain about seam lines, as they are found on the majority of real guns with polymer parts as well. Sometimes the finish on airsoft guns is actually better than on the real ones! A prime example of this is the AK series.
The CA SCAR-L has quite a few interesting details, such as the gas regulator (which clicks in different positions with a tactile feel), cheek piece with two positions for irons or optics, ambidextrous selector and magazine catch, flip up front and rear sight, both with adjustment for elevation and windage. The folding stock is adjustable to four different positions to suit a different shooting stance and the armor the operator may be wearing. You can also move the charging handle from one side to the other. The hop-up is accessed via the ejection port as usually. The adjustment dial is stiff enough not to wander by itself, but turns smoothly for a precise setting. This is how the M16 type hop-up should have been from the beginning.
IN ORDER TO SHOOT, you need to insert the battery first. We didn't need instructions to figure out that it goes inside the stock: The wires are visible when the stock is folded, although protected by a heat shrink tube from wear and curious looks. Knocking out a push-pin in the rear gave access to a handy little storage space, but it was far too small for anything else than a few CR123s for your SureFire. Well, it turns out that you need a 3 mm allen key to separate the front and rear parts of the stock to access the battery compartment. Luckily you can place an allen key inside the rear storage compartment, so you'll always find it when you need it. It is also possible to modify the stock to be taken down without tools, by removing a small grub screw which prevents the stock from being pulled out when you extend it.
So the battery space is limited to a 9.6 V Mini type (600-1400 mAh) battery. This is absolutely no problem for people who are more into the MilSim playing style, but skirmishers with a heavier trigger finger and large magazines will most likely need to change the battery during one day of gaming. A 9.6 V Mini type battery built from modern high capacity NiMH cells has no trouble pulling the typical 400 fps upgrade with a happy rate of fire for about 1000 shots, partially also because of the smoothly built mechanism with 7 mm bearings. It's nice to see that CA didn't cut corners in the realism section just to fit a bigger battery in the stock. Heavy-users will have no problems gutting the stock or using an external power source, and it would be very hard for collectors and other realism-minded persons to trim a stock that is too thick.
Before getting to the BB-spitting mode, you need to pour BBs into the magazine, wind and insert it. The supplied magazine is an M16 type hi-cap mag with a 300 round capacity. It has a very durable finish to it, and a similar color as the upper receiver. The magazine fed faultlessly during the test period, as did a few other M16-type magazines we tried in the AEG.
GETTING INSIDE the SCAR proved to be very simple - at least to start off with. Unscrewing three screws from the rear of the receiver (two sides and behind the rear sight) allows you to take the stock off, and the recoil spring comes out as well. After knocking out the front takedown pin, which is retained properly with a spring wire, the lower receiver can be pulled out to the rear. This structure is a bit different than the real thing, but it's very sturdy as the upper and lower are mated together with full length rails. It also keeps the gearbox and the barrel assembly perfectly aligned. The inner barrel and hop up chamber slides now out from the rear as usual, so you can change the inner barrel or hop packing if necessary.
The lower receiver and getting to the gearbox proved to be another story. Classic Army were nice enough to provide instructions for this in the manual, but normally we don't recommend doing it if you are not determined to get into the gearbox. Getting the grip off is the easy part (similar to the AR-15 series), but the FRP lower receiver actually needs to be pried open with a screwdriver to ease the gearbox out! This is not exactly a new thing, as a lot of GBB pistols need to have their plastic slides temporarily deformed to access the GBB mechanism, but a surprising detail to say the least. It doesn't take long to get used to removing and re-seating the gearbox in the lower receiver, and getting the selector switches aligned is not as hard as it sounds.
THE SHOOTING EXPERIENCE is nothing new to someone who is used to higher end AEGs. Thanks to the 7 mm gearbox with high quality reinforced internals, the shooting sound is really smooth and trigger response is quick. This unit shot an average of 314 fps with 5 fps difference between the highest and lowest velocity. Consistent velocites are usually an indicator of very good accuracy, but this time the groupings were only good without the prefix. The barrel was cleaned and checked before shooting, so the random "flies" are most likely the result of the hop-up being new. Achieving top accuracy would call for a tightbore barrel, but in the stock condition groupings of 160 mm (6") from 20 meters (~60 feet) are perfectly acceptable.
EVEN THOUGH the SCAR-L looks a bit like someone stuck a funny stock and a hard beetle-shell on a Carbon-15, it has a certain appeal especially when you see someone else shoulder it in a shooting position. Every ergonomic detail, the shapes, the curves and buttons and levers are engineered from a human perspective. From the part when the packaging was opened until the testing was finished, the Classic Army SCAR-L kept increasing its appeal. It's suitable for -very near future- US SOCOM operators (in the airsoft meta-world of course), but also gamers who are looking for an ergonomic, sturdy and versatile AEG platform. Apart from the questionable battery storage size, the SCAR-L is simply an excellent AEG in all respects. If wolves had fingers, we'd point two thumbs up.


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Tanki Online Wiki
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*[[Supplies]] and [[Overdrive]]
*[[Supplies]] and [[Overdrive]]
*[[Ranks Experience]]
*[[Battle modes|Battle Modes]] & [[Format Battles]]
*[[Battle modes|Battle Modes]] & [[Format Battles]]
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Revision as of 08:58, 15 September 2017
Tanki Online is the first flash-based online 3D action game. It has received a number of prestigious awards, including Site of the Day at Favourite Website Awards, Best Game without a publisher and Best technology at KRI 2009, Best technology at Russian Flash Awards 2009 and Best game of Russian Internet at the Runet Prize in 2013 and 2014.
Hundreds of thousands of players all over the world have already joined Tanki Online. To do the same, just go to tankionline.com and start playing!
On the pages of this wiki-encyclopedia you will find a lot of useful information about the game, discover lots of interesting facts and get advice from experienced players. The contents of the encyclopedia are constantly updated and improved by our experienced editors. The Wiki-encyclopedia is created for information purposes and reviewing current game events only. It is not used for commercial purposes or advertising.
| How to Start
| Game Mechanics
| About the Game
| Guides
| eSports
| Museum
| Technical Support
| Community
| Other
We will always consider your feedback and comments!


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General Motors Co. signed an agreement with Nissan on May 14 to sell a small cargo vehicle in the United States and Canada called the Chevrolet City Express that Nissan will produce, according to the automakers.
GM will acquire the vehicle from Nissan to distribute through the Chevrolet dealer network. The new vehicle is based on the design of the Nissan NV200, a compact commercial vehicle already available in the U.S.
"Our fleet customers have asked us for an entry in the commercial small van segment, so this addition to the Chevrolet portfolio will strengthen our position with fleets and our commercial customers," said Ed Peper, U.S. vice president of GM fleet and commercial sales.
The Nissan NV200 was named a winner of the International Van of the Year award. The vehicle offers low running costs, efficient engines and drivetrains, and a safety structure that minimizes crash damage, according to Nissan.
Although the price of the Chevrolet City Express has not been announced, the vehicle will be available for sale in fall 2014 to individual customers as well as fleet buyers. Nissan has been trying to aggressively find new uses for its small NV200, including it as the "taxi of tomorrow," the mainstay of New York's cab fleet, according to USA Today.
In creating a Chevrolet version of the NV200, Nissan solves a problem for GM. With the success of Ford's small Transit Connect, the pressure has been on GM to find a match. By partnering with Nissan, GM cuts years of development time and expense, the publication reported.


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- 18K gold and 0.42 carat F color VS2 clarity EX/EX/EX GIA certified diamond ring
- Center stone is 0.30 carat F color VS2 clarity EX/EX/EX. Stone comes with GIA certification.
- Side stone is 0.12 carat F color VS2 clarity.
SHIPPING INFORMATIONThis is a customized piece of Jewelry manufactured to your specifications.Usually it will take 10-12 days to deliver.We offer:
- Free Shipping anywhere in Thailand
- Delivery is in 24 hours after shipment
- Instore Pick up is also available
PAYMENT INFORMATIONPay only 30% Deposit and the balance 70% when your product is ready for delivery.You can pay by:
- Credit Card - VISA,MASTERCARD,AMEX
- Debit Card from Bangkok Bank
- Paypal
- Counter Service
- ATM Transfer
- Online Banking
RETURNSSince your Jewelry is customized to your specifications we do not accept any returns.However you may return your product or exchange it for another piece of Jewelry. All returns are suject to a restocking fee of 30%. OUR CUSTOMERSWe have thousands of satisfied Customers. Please let us know if you need any references from our customers FREE GIFTS WITH YOUR PURCHASEYour Jewelry comes with a free :
- Pearl Necklace worth Baht 2000
- Jewelry Box
- Certificate of Lifetime Guarantee for authenticity of product
WHY BUY THIS JEWELRYA Beautiful piece of Jewelry makes you
Moreover this piece is jewelry is made with real gold and natural diamonds. Gold and diamonds have been around for thousands of years and have real lasting value. This is a legacy you can pass on to the next generation
- Feel Good
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- Makes you center of attraction of your friends
NEXT STEPSSo what should do next.If you still need adviseCall us at 0818364601Chat OnlineChat on Line App : GlitzjewelsVisit our Store to view the the productOrder sample to view and Try@HomeorIf you are readyYou can order now Like Us on Facebook
Additional Info
Additional Info
|View In Store
|Delivery date


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Old Man Sha in the Middle Kingdom
Old Man Sha in the Middle Kingdom
Something's rotten in the state of Jiabo. The king has died mysteriously, his brother Kulo-ngam has inherited the throne and married the widowed queen, and Prince Lhamoklodan has gone off the deep end and is contemplating suicide. Sound familiar? William Shakespeare surely could never have envisioned this high-altitude Hamlet, set in the shadow of the Himalayas, with characters draped in snow leopard skins. Yet in 2006 the Bard's famous prince of Denmark found himself transported to ancient Tibet in Shanghai director Sherwood Hu's film and stage adaptations of Hamlet with a Buddhist twist.
Not to worry—"To be or not to be" turns out to be relevant in every language, says Alexander C.Y. Huang, author of Chinese Shakespeares: Two Centuries of Cultural Exchange (Columbia University Press, 2009). Huang, associate professor of comparative literature at Penn State, makes a strong case for the cross-cultural malleability of Shakespeare's canonical works over centuries of performance history. Huang's absorbing and detailed book challenges the traditional view that the world's pre-eminent dramatist and England's national poet belongs primarily to the English-speaking world. What's more, argues Huang, Shakespeare has had a prominent role in shaping modern and contemporary Chinese theater—and China, Hong Kong and Taiwan have repaid the favor by bringing their own unique interpretations to the Bard's timeless tales.
"Shakespeare's work has long been traveling the world, even during his lifetime," explains Huang. "Shortly after appearing on London stages, the plays migrated to foreign shores. English comedians toured Europe performing his works, and by 1607 Shakespeare plays were already sailing east." That September, "Hamlet" was performed on a makeshift stage aboard the Red Dragon, an East India Company ship anchored off Sierra Leone, with four local chiefs in attendance. The following year it was performed on the island of Socotra, now the Republic of Yemen. "From there, Shakespeare's name and works spread to other parts of Asia," notes Huang.
Rising in the East
It took until the mid-nineteenth century for Shakespeare's plays to arrive at the trading ports of China—and it wasn't until the 1904 publication of Lin Shu's translation of Charles and Mary Lamb's Tales from Shakespeare that a wider Chinese audience became aware of the playwright. Interestingly, the author's reputation took hold well before his work. Explains Huang, "In this case, we are looking at the reception history of a famous playwright without the plays. Very few people in China had read Shakespeare or seen the plays performed, and yet the name Shakespeare—or rather Shashibiya or Old Man Sha, as he was called in Mandarin—was on everybody's lips, especially the intellectuals and officials," and was used for varying purposes that ranged from social reform to conservative agendas.
Many Chinese first learned about the Bard of Avon from encyclopedias written by European missionaries promoting Western culture, and the playwright became an important icon to Chinese reformers advocating for development in their nation. Says Huang, "Something fascinating happened there. Shakespeare had trans-historical appeal. The educated elite knew he was a Renaissance playwright but somehow he came to represent everything that was modern and progressive to them, and they saw in him a figure who cared for commoners and promoted the idea of democracy and human rights."
Each successive era in Chinese history has configured Shakespeare in its own image, Huang emphasizes. From the 1920s through the '40s, China was concerned with women's rights, and that's one reason why "The Merchant of Venice" was popular then. "This play captured the Chinese imagination not because of the themes of religious tensions or the Jewish question, which were typically excised from the script," he explains, "but rather because of the appeal of the character of Portia, the beautiful young woman lawyer." During this era, China was beginning to open the doors of education (including the legal profession) to women, an important turning point in the country's history. "This movement informed Chinese readings of 'The Merchant of Venice'," Huang says, adding that Chinese productions of the play are often called "The Woman Lawyer." A silent film with that title debuted in 1927.
Communist Block
When the Communists came to power in 1949, it became difficult—if not outright dangerous—for translators, intellectuals and theater artists to stage foreign plays, notes Huang. "However, because Karl Marx cited Shakespeare frequently in his writings, for a period of time Shakespeare's plays were the only safe Western texts."
Shakespeare fell from favor during the Cultural Revolution, when he was branded a 'bourgeois counterrevolutionary' and almost entirely banned—along with other foreign works— for a decade. In this restrictive political climate, which lasted from 1966 to 1976, approved art was limited to propagandistic texts, posters and performances, such as the famous "little red book" of Quotations From Chairman Mao and eight "model dramas" with revolutionary themes.
Explains Huang, the few Shakespeare plays that were performed during that era—mostly the comedies—were staged with "an emphasis on apolitical entertainment." Chinese actors performed plays such as Much Ado About Nothing with period costumes, wigs and prosthetic noses. "Usually artists want their work to feel relevant to audiences, but this was the opposite," he clarifies. "They denied the existence of any ideological meaning or relevance and thought they were on safer ground by sticking to bright and sunny comedies and a fetishized idea of historical authenticity."
However, says Huang, quoting anthropologist Clifford Geertz, "The real is as imagined as the imaginary," and Shakespeare scholars have generally debunked notions of historical authenticity and purity. "We don't even know exactly how the Elizabethan English was pronounced," Huang notes. Given the many unknowns, it can be argued that all productions of Shakespeare—whether in London or Laos—are culturally subjective works of imagination and interpretation.
Across Time and Space
With the fading of the Cultural Revolution and shift to the "open door policy" under Deng Xiaoping's leadership, the 1980s unleashed a prolific era of pent-up Shakespeare scholarship and performance in China. In 1983, Shakespeare Studies became the first Mainland journal dedicated to a non-Chinese writer. 1984 saw the birth of the Shakespeare Society of China, and the next year Chinese scholars were published for the first time in The Shakespeare Quarterly—a prestigious academic journal. In 1986, the renaissance culminated with the Shanghai Shakespeare Festival, thirteen days of twenty-four performances of sixteen Shakespeare plays, some of which were nationally televised. Only two of the productions were in English, one sign that Mainland scholars, theater professionals and audiences craved distinctly Chinese productions of Shakespeare.
One genre has emerged as perhaps the most adaptable to a unique Sino-Shakespearean aesthetic: "Jingju" or Beijing Opera, is a form of traditional Chinese theater, and combines music, vocal performance, dance, mime and acrobatics. Says Huang, "Some of the most fascinating adaptations of Shakespeare have taken place in the rich realm of Chinese opera, which contains over 300 sub-genres, along with subtle role types and masks with beautiful colorful facial patterns." The Experimental Beijing Opera Troupe took their production of Othello on a successful national tour in the 1980s, and adaptations of this and other Shakespeare tragedies ("which fit Chinese opera better than his comedies," notes Huan) have become modern classics in China.
Given the Bard's transformative Technicolor journey spanning centuries and cultures across the globe, can we safely conclude that Shakespeare is universal? "The notion of universality has often come under attack by literary critics," says Huang, "because it's politically correct in our age to believe in the local rather than the global." However, he adds, "We have to understand the notion of universalism in a different way in an era of globalization. A sign of a great work is its openness that allows it to be read across time and space—and that's the most fascinating aspect of Shakespeare."
In the immortal words of Old Man Sha, "Shìjiè yī wǔtái." Or "All the world's a stage…"


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#1 July snow falls on Mt. Washington07-03-2010, 05:13 PMIgnoring the calendar, which showed the beginning of the month of July, a dusting of snow fell Thursday on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, startling tourists and forcing the closure of the road to the top.
"It's not extraordinary, but it's definitely interesting," said Stacey Kawecki, a meteorologist for the Mount Washington Observatory.
Mount Washington, the Northeasts highest peak at 6,288 feet, has recorded snow in every month. The last time it was recorded in July was 2007. ...
I saw that story too...
"It's not extraordinary, but it's definitely interesting,"
That nitwit malaise over on DU is starting OMFG threads as soon a system of any kind forms now.May the FORCE be with you!
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The Songwriter's Hall of Fame Gala 2009
June 29, 2009 by Missy Bejer
Filed under Daily Music News, Staff Insider
The Songwriter's Hall of Fame Gala 2009
June 18, 2009
By: Missy Bejer
On June 18, 2009, I celebrated my birthday doing what I love most in this world – enjoying music. The Songwriter's Hall of Fame holds a gala to honor their inductees every year, and this year was no different. The 40th Annual induction ceremony was held in New York City, and I was lucky enough to be in attendance. The 2009 inductees included Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora; Crosby, Stills and Nash; Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway; Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati of The Young Rascals; Galt MacDermot, James Rado and Gerome Ragni and Stephen Schwartz. There were also going to be several special awards presented to Sir Tom Jones (Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award), Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland (Johnny Mercer Award), Jason Mraz (Hal David Starlight Award), and the Towering Song this year was "Moon River" to be performed by Andy Williams. The evening started off just right with famed disc jockey – Cousin Brucie! Believe it or not, he's still playing his records over on satellite radio. The amount of historic music moments Brucie must have witnessed over the years, from introducing The Beatles at Shea Stadium to helping to introduce the world to Elvis Presley, the good ole cuz is definitely a legend in his own right.
Ryan Tedder was the first to take to the stage, with his rendition of "It's a Beautiful Morning" the classic The Young Rascals tune. He then presented the induction to Eddie Brigati and Felix Cavaliere who performed, "People Got to Be Free" – it was such a fantastic performance. It's unbelievable how those lyrics really hit home even now. I never realized the
power of that song. I think it was recorded in the late 60s, and you can certainly still feel the anguish of those times, but there's also hope too.
John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting presented to inductee Stephen Schwartz. Schwartz was the man behind the music for notable Broadway shows like Godspell and Pippen, but I think he is most known for the musical Wicked. What a treat it was to hear Schwartz singing, "For Good" – of course, I couldn't help but picture Elphaba and Glinda singing together.
It was Clint Black who presented to inductees Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. Cook and Greenway had a great performance of their song, "You've Got Your Troubles", originally recorded by The Fortunes.
Crosby, Stills and Nash were inducted by James Taylor. Taylor performed a classic acoustic medley of the Crosby, Stills and Nash tunes, "Love The One You're With," "Long Time Gone" and "Teach Your Children."
The presentation of the Hal David Starlight Award was given by former Starlight Award winner, Rob Thomas. Thomas had a very tongue and cheek message for the award recipient, Jason Mraz. Thomas remarked, "Jason, you're too good! You're throwing off the curve for the rest of us!" Mraz delighted the shoulder dancers in the crowd (me being one of them!) with his hit, "I'm Yours".
American Idol's Kara DioGuardi presented Sir Tom Jones with his Hitmaker Award. Jones thanked Burt Bacharach for convincing him to record the song, "What's New Pussycat?" He told the story of how when he was first approached to do the song, he thought it was the most ridiculous thing he ever heard. Thankfully for this fan, he decided to record the song! Sir Tom belted out one of his greatest hits, "It's Not Unusual" which was revived in the 1900s by Carlton Banks on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I was ready to jump up and do the Carlton dance, but alas, I didn't think it would be socially acceptable, so I settled for some finger snapping and (more) shoulder dancing.
The highlight of the night for me was the presentation of the induction award to Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Chris Daughtry gave a tribute performance of the Bon Jovi hit, "I'll Be There for You" that left the crowd stunned. An absolutely amazing rendition of the song. Chris then presented the induction award to Jon and Richie. All the recipient speeches were very touching, but there was something about Richie's speech that was so moving, it brought me to tears. The way he spoke about music, and how important songwriting is – but it was also the way he spoke about Jon, and how he considered them to be more than brother's. – I think everyone in the room felt that raw emotion during Richie's speech. Jon and Richie performed "Wanted Dead or Alive", a song I've heard live more times than I can count, but there was something very special about this performance. I think everyone else felt it too, as they received a standing ovation at the end of the song.
Motown founder Berry Gordy presented the Johnny Mercer Award to Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, Jr. of Holland-Dozier-Holland, or HDH. HDH wrote songs for tons of Motown acts – from The Supremes, and the 4 Tops, to Marvin Gaye.
Hair composers Galt MacDermot, James Rado and Erick Ragni (the son of inductee Gerome Ragni) were presented their induction by Cousin Brucie, but the big finale came when my favorite Solid Gold host Marilyn McCoo and her husband Billy Davis Jr. took to the stage. Together they sang, "Aquarius" and "Let The Sunshine In". At this point, I was standing at the back of the ballroom, there was no one that would
stop me from Solid Gold dancing to my Marilyn! While I was cutting a rug, suddenly there was a mass invasion of people on the stage. It was the cast of the latest Broadway revival of Hair. They danced on the stage, and then made their way into the audience – lots of fun, and a great way to close the show!
It was an incredible night for me. I was able to meet so many of great musicians, from so many different genres of music. My appreciation for the importance of songwriting has grown significantly. It's such a rare talent, yet without it – our songs have no meaning. Cheers to the inductees and award winners – they TRULY deserve it!


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I wish I lived in a hiding place, all of the time.
Each morning – well, each morning that sees me travel from bed to office, missing breakfast on the way – I escape the buzzing monotony of rush-hour traffic and bustling commuters by sidestepping the main streets between front door and tube station to stroll through a park; here, my pace lessens and the sun says hello, peeking out from under cloud and over tree-top. This is my temporary hiding place: a few hundred yards of solitude, an enclave of contemplation. And now I've the perfect soundtrack to these few moments, snatched from under the nose of a day's frustration and bother.
Piano Solos Vol. 2 is literally what its title says it is: a collection of piano solos, performed with an acute tenderness by Dustin O'Halloran, fifty per cent of US-born but Italy-based duo Devics. When heard through headphones, it's music to slow a step to a crawl, to have the eyes finding a previously unseen splendour in something so everyday you've only ever overlooked it before now. It's music that has the day's star shining that little bit brighter; music that could, if amplified across the park, have pigeons dancing across the brilliant blue sky in perfect slow-motion synchronicity. A ballet set to a score to melt an ice queen's heart.
When played aloud, in an office environment, expect a hush to spread from body to body. The chatterbox – the one that spends most of their time by the water-cooler, spilling banality like carbon dioxide: they, too, will fall silent. Everyone will take a moment; each moment will be different, although the music filling the room is the work of only one artist. It could be anyone, as names don't matter; when music's as universal as this, indie one-upmanship is a faraway concept.
Dissecting these eleven opuses – so pure and so simple and so beautiful that they can't not affect even the toughest soul of leather and wire – is tantamount to committing a gross disservice: there's no need to explain, in critical prose, the plusses and minuses of an album that is entirely one-dimensional on paper, but that can paint a million different pictures in the mind's eye with each excursion into its familiar and comforting confines.
Find your own little corner of the world, your hiding place. Take this with you. And think, reflect, assess, and conclude, properly, for the first time in what might be months. Believe me: it'll make re-entry to the Real World a whole lot less painful.
8Mike Diver's Score